Rail-fastening means



JIM/A4 :1 v

M. HELPER"? RAIL FASTENING MEANS Jan, 26,1926. 1,571,008

Filed May 5, 1922 Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,571,008 PATENT. OFFIQE.

MEIER G. HILPEBIT, 0F BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA. ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS-SIGNMENTS, TO BETHLEHEM STEEL COMFANY, A GORPQRATIGH OF DELAWARE.

RAIL-FASTENING IIIEANS.

Application filed May 3, 1922. Serial No. 558,087.

7 '0 all whom it ma/g/ concern:

Be it known that I, MEIER G. I-IILPERT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bethlehem, county of Northampton, State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvement in Rail-FasteningMeans, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to rail fastening devices and moreparticularly to such devices as are employed for fastening the rails forturntables.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a dependable meansfor securing the rail in position on its bed which shall be adjustablein every direction.

Another object is to provide a fastening means all parts of which can beeasily removed and yet secure the rail to its foundation with a force atleast equal to the rolling load coming on the rail.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of fasteningblock or clip.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be apparentfrom the description taken in connection with drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a fastening device and a supportconstructed in accordance with the present invention, a fragment of thetrack rail being shown;

Fig. 9. is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 22 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the rail and device;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the adjusting wedges, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an inverted fastening block.

Referring to the drawings, the track rail which is to be secured inplace is indicated by the reference character 10. The present inventionis particularly adapted for securing in position the circular rails ofturntables, but obviously it is not limited to this use. At intervalsthe rail 10 rests on supports or ties 11. These ties preferably are ofT-shape as shown in Fig. 3 and may be made by cutting an I -beam in twoby a division extending longitudinally of its web. Preferably the ties11 are set in concrete, the top surfaces thereof being slightly abovethetop surface of the concrete, the latter being indicated by thereference character 12. V

The lipsll and the immediate supporting means therefor, for example,concrete, constitute what maybe termed rail supporting structure. Inother words, the immediate supporting means for the ties 11 cooperatewith the latter to constitute a unitary supporting structure, the ties11 immediately engaging the bottom face of a rail, the blocks 13,hereinafter referred to, having portions for engagement with the topsurfaces of the tie 11 and with the top surfaces of the flanges of arail, and the sup porting means or concrete structure for the tie havinganchored thereto fastening means, hereinafter referred to, whereby theblocks may be held in position with portions thereof engaging the tie 11and the top surfaces of rail flanges under pressure.

The means for adjustably securing the rail to the ties 11 includes thefastening blocks 13, disposed on opposite sides of the track rail 10. Asshown these blocks are formed with a lip or flange 14 adapted to takeover and lie on top ofthe top surface of the base flange of the trackrail. Each block is secured to the support, with its lip clamping theflange of the rail, by a bolt 15 the lower end of which is threaded intoan anchoring member 15 imbedded in the concrete thus permitting removalof the bolts for replacement. The upper end projects through the bolthole 16 in the block and is threaded for a nut 17 Any suitable means maybe provided to lock the nut to the bolt. The bolt hole 16 and bolt 15are positioned so that the shoulder or edge 18 of the block is spacedfrom and inclined to the adjacent edge of the base flange of the rail. Awedge 19 is adapted to be inserted in the space between the said edge 18and the edge of the base flange of the rail. In assembling the parts therail is adjusted laterally by the extent of the insertion of the wedges.After the wedges have been driven home, the rail is positively held inthe desired position of lateral adjustment. Movement of the bolts 15away from the rail, of course, is prevented because of the fact'thatthey pass through openings 11 in the tie 11.

One of the principal features of the invention is the provision of meanswhereby the rail is clamped in position with a force such that when therolling load comes on the rail there will be no displacement there-' of,This is accomplished, in the first place,

by supporting the rail on ties embedded in concrete. If necessary, inorder to attain the proper vertical adjustment of the rail, liners maybe inserted between the bottom of the rail and the top of the tie. Theseliners should cover the tie member between the bolts to allow forremoval or replacement in case of settlement of the foundation. Forclamping the rail down with the necessary force the nuts 17 are screweddown sufficiently so that the fastening means are clampeddown on therail flanges with a pressure equal to and preferably greater than thewheel load that will come on the rail. This is accomplished by usingextra length wrench handles for screwing down the nuts. With thisarrangement, the wheels pass over the rail and compress the tiessomewhat; the fastenings, however, continue to remain in contact withthe flanges of the rail. due to the tension in the bolts, and,therefore, under all conditions of traffic, there is no looseness ofparts to cause rattling and thus a longer life is insured. To explainfurther, in my construction, the nuts are screwed down to an extentsuflicient to produce a total tension stress in the bolts greater thanany compression stress which will be imposed on a tie due to load on arail. In this way, the bolts act in tension at all times to hold a railin position with respect to a tie, thereby keeping therail tight andavoiding play or looseness.

A rail fastening of the usual type ordinarily has point and line contactwith the rail with,the result that the safe bearing pressure is oftenexceeded and the fastening becomes loose and fails to function. It isone of the principal aims of the present invention to avoid thisdifliculty and this is accomplished in the manner described below.Preferably the fastening block is made with three points of contact onthe rail and chair, two on one part and one on the other. Thus as shownthe lip 14 has two spaced bearing pads 14; adapted to engage the railflange at spaced points. The portion of the block resting on the chairis narrowed and formed with a tie bearing pad 13, whereby the blockrests on the tie at one bearing surface only. This three point bearinginsures that the rail is positively clamped to the tie after the nuts 17have been turned down.

After the rail has thus been clamped in position, it is desired tofurther increase the bearing area between the block and the rail flangein order that the safe bearing pressure of the metals employed may notbe exceeded. To this end, according to the present invention, the undersurface of the lip or flange 14: is formed with a recess 20 and the lipisalso formed with an opening 21 extending therethrough andcommunicating with areea After the'railhas been properly positioned and"the wedges 19 driven home, a suitable molten metal may be poured inthrough the opening 21 and on cooling this metal will secure the partsagainst displacement and also increase the bearing area between thebearing block and the rail flange. Preferably a metal such as hotspelter is employed for this purpose. In order to aid in thus securingthe parts together, the face of the wedge 19 engaging the edge of thebase flange of the rail may be formed with serrations 22. In drivinghome the wedges 19 the serrations are more or less flattened or battereddown, giving added bearing on the rail.

In laying the track and securing the rail, the ties are first locatedand the rail placed on the same and the two secured together by wireswhich are drawn taut in any suitable manner. Then the concretefoundation is made, the anchorages 15 and bolts 15 having been set inthe same. The next step in assembling the parts consists in adjustingthe rail to its correct lateral position by means of the wedges 19. Thenthe parts are clamped in position by turning down the nuts 17 to such anextent that the downward force exerted on the rail is as great orgreater than any rolling load that will come on the same. Finally, hotspelter or other suitable molten metal is poured through the opening 21to increase the hearing area between the rail and fastening block andsecure the parts in adjusted position. The spelter also acts to seal theedges of the aforementioned liners 10 if they are employed, also thewedges and interior of the fastening block against the entrance of waterand other substances. Furthermore, his spelter is easily removed byknocking out and can be re-melted and poured in place when the fasteningblock is removed for the replacement of a belt or for other reason.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been described indetail it is to be understood that the invention is not thus limited butincludes modifications and changes which come within the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:v

1. The combination with a rail, of means for securing the rail againstlateral displacement comprising a rail supporting structure. blocksdisposed at opposite sides of a rail and each having a single downwardlyprojecting portion resting on the supporting structure and two spaceddownwardly pro jecting portions resting on the upper surface of a railflange, and means carried by the supporting structure for holding theblocks in position with the projecting portions thereof engaging thesupporting structure and the top surfaces of the rail flanges underpressure.

2. The combin n with a rail, of e ns for securing the rail againstlateral displacement comprising a rail supporting structure, blockshaving downwardly projecting portions for engagement with said structureand with the top surfaces of the rail flanges, said blocks havinginclined abutment surfaces disposed underneath and in opposed relationwith respect to the edges of the rail flanges, means carried by thesupporting structure for holding the blocks in position with thedownwardly projecting portions engaging the structure and the topsurfaces of the rail flanges under pressure, and wedge means disposedbetween said inclined abutment surfaces and the edges of the railflanges.

3. The combination with a rail, of means for securing the rail inposition comprising a rail supporting structure, blocks disposed onopposite sides of the rail and having downwardly projecting portions forengagement with the top surface of the supporting structure and with thetop surfaces of the rail flanges, said blocks having lower abutmentsurfaces disposed in opposed relation with respect to rail flange edgesand inclined relatively to the latter and said blocks being providedwith vertical bolt openings disposed between the rail-flange-engagingprojections and the supporting-structure-engaging projections, boltscarried by the supporting structure and having upper threaded endsextending through said openings, nuts cooperating with the threaded endsof the bolts above the blocks, whereby the projectionsof the blocks maybe engaged with the top surfaces of the rail flanges and with the topsurface of the supporting structure under pressure, and wedge meansdisposed between the abutment surfaces and the rail flange edges.

4. The combination with a rail, of means to secure the same in an exactposition of lateral adjustment comprising, fastening means engagingopposite sides of the base flanges of the rail, means interposed betweensaid fastening means and the rail to adjust the rail laterally and afusible metal cementing the parts together.

5. The combination with a rail, of means to secure the same in an exactposition of lateral adjustment comprising, fastening means engagingopposite sides of the base flanges of the rail, wedges interposedbetween said fastening means and the rail to adjust the rail laterally,and a fusible metal cementing the wedges to the rail and fasteningmeans.

6. Rail fastening means comprising in combination, a rail supportextending transversely of the track rail, a fastening block resting onsaid support on each side of the rail and having a lip engaging theupper surface of the base flange of the rail, means for holding thefastening block in position with a portion thereof engaging the supportand with it lip engaging the upper surface of the flange under pressure,awedge between the block and the lateral edge of the rail flange, andmeans to secure said wedges against displacement.

7. As an article of manufacture, a rail fastening block having a bolthole therethrough for a fastening bolt, and a railflange engaging lip,said lip formed with a recess in its under side and also formed with anopening affording communication between said recess and the oppositeside of the lip.

8. As an article of manufacture, a rail fastening block having arail-flange engaging lip ofiset from the base surface of said block,thereby forming a shoulder, said shoulder having its length inclined tothe marginal edge of said lip.

9. An an article of manufacture, a rail fastening block having a tieengaging bearing pad, a rail-flange engaging lip having two bearingpads, said lip being offset from the base surface of the block andhaving an aperture therethrough and a recess in its under surface.

10. As an article of manufacture, a rail fastening block having a tieengaging bearing pad, a rail flange engaging lip having two bearing padsfor engagement with the top surface of a rail flange respectively atpositions spaced longitudinally of the rail, and said block having anaperture therethrough disposed between the tie engaging pad and the railflange engaging pads.

11. As an article of manufacture, a rail fastening block having a tieengaging bearing pad, two bearing pads for engagement with the uppersurface of a rail flange, an abutment surface at the underside adaptedto be disposed in inclined relation with respect to a rail flange edge,and a bolt opening extending through the block and disposed between saidinclined abutment surface and the tie engaging pad.

12. A rail fastening device including in combination, an anchoringmeans, adapted to be embedded in concrete, rail engaging blocks, meansremovably held by said anchoring means to clamp said blocks against therail and means cooperating with said blocks securing the rail in adefinite position of lateral adjustment.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

MEIER G. HILPERT.

